Authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo have announced that the country's deadliest-ever Ebola outbreak has passed its peak, with the daily rate of new infections showing a measurable decline. As of mid-September, more than 7,200 cases and nearly 3,475 deaths had been recorded since the epidemic was declared in May — making it the most lethal Ebola outbreak in the DRC's history. "At one point, we were recording about 120 cases per day; today, we're seeing about 80 per day," said Samuel Roger Kamba, the Congolese health minister. "We can now say that the outbreak is under control."

The outbreak, caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, was first detected in Ituri, a province in the country's northeast that has long been affected by armed conflict and weak state presence. It subsequently spread across conflict-affected eastern and northern regions before reaching Sud-Ubangi, a province bordering the Central African Republic and Congo-Brazzaville, making it the seventh province to confirm cases. Authorities say ten health zones have gone at least 21 days without new cases, and six have been cleared entirely after surpassing the 42-day threshold. Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya indicated the peak was reached in the third week of August. This is the 17th Ebola outbreak in the DRC since the virus was first identified and named in 1976.

The Bundibugyo variant poses particular challenges for responders: unlike the more common Zaire strain, for which the approved Ervebo vaccine exists, there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for Bundibugyo. Several clinical trials are underway in the region. The spread of the disease through schools following the return from summer holidays has heightened anxiety among parents in Bunia, Ituri's provincial capital, where educators have introduced mandatory handwashing, reduced class sizes, and strict no-contact policies among pupils.

Not everyone is ready to celebrate the government's announcement. Iracan Gratien de Saint-Nicolas, a member of parliament for Bunia, cautioned against "triumphalism" and called for greater transparency in the data underpinning the official claims. He noted that several standard indicators used to declare an epidemic under control — including a sustained decline in new cases over seven to 21 days, a reduction in areas with active transmission, and high rates of contact tracing — appeared to have been omitted from official communications. Jean Kaseya, director general of the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, had warned earlier that containment and contact tracing were still not effective enough, noting that 60 to 70 percent of deaths were occurring in the community rather than in health facilities.

For those living through the epidemic, the human cost has been immense. In Rwampara, a town in Ituri, residents describe months of fear and grief. "It has robbed us of the people we cherish so much," said Léa Munyere, a 36-year-old mother of four who lost two close friends to the disease. "We just want to get back to our normal lives." Health officials stress that while the trend is encouraging, preventive measures must remain firmly in place until transmission is fully halted.